The offseason wasn’t the greatest for the New York Knicks but there’s still talent on the roster. Here are five bold predictions as they enter the 2017-18 season.
The New York Knicks didn’t have the busiest of offseasons. They’re still far removed from a potential trip to the NBA Playoffs. They went 31-51 in 2016-17, winning one less game than they did in 2015-16.
New York passed on Malik Monk and Dennis Smith Jr. in the 2017 NBA Draft to draft 19-year-old French point guard Frank Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick. Ntilikina is a relatively unknown prospect at 6’5″ and a 7’0″ wingspan.
In free agency, the Knicks signed shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year, $71 million deal. He averaged 14.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game with the Atlanta Hawks in 2016-17, shooting 35.7 percent from the 3-point line.
The rebuild around forward Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t quite gone as planned, but that hasn’t stopped him from having a monster offseason in EuroBasket 2017. Porzingis averaged 23.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game for his native Latvia national team.
He gave Knicks’ fans a reason to be excited, if only for a little bit, about the potential he brings to the franchise.
The New York Knicks are trying to get out from under their mistakes, but there’s still a long way to go. With the 2017-18 campaign approaching, here are five bold predictions for the Knicks’ upcoming season.